Florida State commit analysis: Offensive lineman Kimo Makaneole scouting report

On Sunday evening, Florida State Seminoles football got a nice recruiting surprise after getting a commitment earlier in the week. 2021 3-star offensive lineman Kimo Makaneole from Niceville committed to Mike Norvell and staff immediately after receiving a scholarship offer.

While it is not known at this time whether Makaneole will be a guard or tackle, the thought is he will start his career on the interior. The tea leaves certainly support that suggestion as the Noles recently lost an interior offensive line commit in Jake Slaughter before offering the Niceville prospect.

Let’s dive into the tape, breakdown his game and highlight his on-field traits and tendencies.

Scouting Report

Aggression, physicality, and awareness

What’s not to love about about a 6’5 285 pound lineman who moves and hits like this? It is easy to get caught up in a play like this and think you’ve found the next Tra Thomas.

Let’s dig a little deeper though.

The first thing any coach is going to like about this play is the athleticism and purpose that Kimo moves with. A little tight in the hip, but still quick footed and able to get around on a counter trey. Makaneole runs inside the framework of his body which allows for more fluid motion.

The second thing everyone will enjoy is the way he arrives at the point of contact. Kimo is able to lower his pad level with good knee and ankle flexibility and deliver a rising blow to obliterate the defender. At the point of contact Makaneole is in good position with his hands loaded and you can see the rest.

The final bit of this play that will go unrecognized by some is the ability to find his target. Makaneole does a good job running with his head and eyes up to locate his target and position for execution. This is often overlooked, but an important trait nonetheless.

Heavy handed

Obviously a key aspect of playing OL is being strong and being able to deliver a punch to the defensive linemen. Makaneole is very heavy handed and delivers some knee buckling punches. Some players just have that raw power and he is one of them. This power gets developed from the ground up and is on display quite often.

Playing in a phone booth

There is a level of quickness, toughness, and short-area explosiveness required to play interior OL. Playing inside that phone booth is not for everybody but Makaneole shows quick feet that he’s able to get in and out of the ground, tight elbows and quick, powerful hands, and the ability to stay down in his set. All of these traits suggest he can be a good interior OL at the next level after developing.

One thing I try not to talk about in scouting reports is non-physical traits but in this case of Kimo, I have to mention his desire. This is clearly a very driven young man whose physical tools should continue to develop. If he develops the potential exists for him to become a very solid offensive linemen for Florida State.

As always, if you’ve got questions about FSU’s moves on the recruiting trail or want to catch up on the latest #Tribe21 news, head to our official Florida State football recruiting thread.